Clinical Research Directory

Effectiveness of the Mindful Compassion Care Program for Healthcare Professionals in Oncology and Palliative Care

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Mindful Compassion Care Program (MCCP), a mindfulness- and compassion-based intervention designed to enhance the emotional and professional well-being of healthcare professionals (HPs). The study adopts a multi-center, open-label, randomized, parallel-group, superiority design and includes HPs (physicians, nurses, and nursing assistants) involved in the clinical care of cancer patients across different settings and disease phases. Eligible participants must not have attended MBSR or other mindfulness-/compassion-based interventions in the preceding six months. The RCT has a primary objective of assessing the MCCP's effectiveness in increasing positive emotions and reducing negative emotions among HPs working in oncology and palliative care. Secondary objectives include evaluating improvements in professional quality of life and self-compassion. After providing informed consent, HPs will be randomized to receive either the MCCP (experimental group) or no intervention (control group).

Survey of Psychological Well-being of Health Care Workers in the Hospital Setting

The psychological well-being of healthcare workers in hospital settings is a topic of growing interest in the scientific literature, given the crucial importance of their role in ensuring high-quality care. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic health emergency has further accentuated the relevance of this issue, increasing anxiety and stress levels, testing the resilience and resistance of those working in care settings, revealing and highlighting how the accumulation of work-related stress can result in disabling pathologies for the caregiver, with an inevitable impact on the facility and care in general. Recent studies show that health care workers are particularly vulnerable to work-related stress, which can result from various factors such as high work demands, emotional pressure, irregular shifts, and interactions with critically ill patients. Burnout syndrome, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment, is widely documented among hospital staff. Research indicates that burnout not only compromises the psychological health of healthcare workers, but also negatively affects the quality of care provided by increasing the risk of medical errors. In light of these factors, it is crucial to deepen our understanding of the dynamics that influence psychological well-being and work-related stress in health care workers in order to develop effective interventions that can improve their quality of life and consequently the quality of care provided to patients. Preliminary assessment of the emotional burden and motivational aspects of health care workers (showing what very often eludes a first glance, making visible something that is often invisible), along with effective stress management, would allow for greater ability to remain calm under pressure, reduced frustration, increased ability to make informed decisions, and to communicate effectively with patients and colleagues. These aspects translate into an image of a safer and more caring health care system in promoting better quality of care. The aim of this project is to highlight the importance of psychological wellbeing for those working in health care settings and to promote attention to this area, also with a view to identifying possible interventions aimed at identifying preventive and protective factors in relation to health care workers. The aim, therefore, is to show what is very often invisible at first sight, to make visible what is invisible: to explore, accommodate and contain areas of criticality and fragility in the context of work in health care settings, working on interventions aimed at the psychological well-being of workers.